


Crumbling

by VertigoAza



Series: Random utmv [4]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Blue and Error are friends - Freeform, I don't know what I'm doing really, I might forget tags sometimes, OOC, Oops, Undertale AU, aaaaaaaaa, fourth wall? nah, not good writing, vomiting mention
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-09
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-09 21:22:30
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 2,528
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27983010
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VertigoAza/pseuds/VertigoAza
Summary: I don't know what I'm doing
Relationships: None planned but maybe - Relationship
Series: Random utmv [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2039581
Comments: 18
Kudos: 15





	1. When it slows

It was crumbling.

It was all crumbling.

No, no, no.

They couldn’t do this - they couldn’t abandon him. He didn’t want to be left again.

He desperately clung on to the remaining works and AUs.

He could save them - he could help! He could!

He took Broomy, glancing around the Doodlesphere for a moment longer. 

He made his move.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> May or may not continue?  
> We'll see  
> I know it's short atm lol


	2. Chapter 2

He had first noticed when the flow of his paints - the things that allow him to feel emotions - had started slowing. It was an awful day when he realised this. He had made a note of it - not that he wasn’t now constantly reminded by his new found caution about using them.

It was a bad sign though, it meant that the Creators were slowing as well - they were leaving, or stopping, or giving up.

He felt like he had already failed his job with that information.

Other Outcodes had also shared concerns. Core Frisk tried to reassure him, but while everyone else could probably survive just fine without the Creators help, he could not. This was a fact. A fact that dictated his behavior sometimes. He was abandoned by his own Creator, and no one else besides maybe Error really recognised their existence until told about them, even then they were out of the loop.

Of course, Dream and Nightmare tried to recognise the issue. Dream never  _ entirely _ understood all of Ink’s Creator talk, but he had essentially gotten the impression they were basically Gods, Nightmare partially shared that view, but wasn’t happy about it.

Sadly concerns were only shared with people he had questioned, or ranted to, or knew prior.

Otherwise, the rest of the multiverse was unaware.

Why wouldn’t they be?

They had nothing to worry about unless an Outcode attacked, a Creator stopped the project, or otherwise.

Frisk had offered him a place in the Omega Timeline in case anything happened to his Doodlesphere, though that wasn’t his biggest concern.

Ink looked around the AU he had chosen, well technically he had been summoned.

Rising from his ink portal revealed why.

The AU looked fairly fine, until you addressed the strings that were in the sky.   
  


He automatically looked for the source, he hadn’t even paid attention to which AU he was in.

Which was why he was confused and surprised when greeted with a loud “Hi Ink!”.

Blue was there.

That was when Ink finally registered this was the Blue he knew, who had been rehomed to another timeline after having his own ripped away from him.

Ink blinked, eyelights shifting shapes and colour.

“Hey Blue,”

“Hi! Glad you actually picked up your summons, I was worried you wouldn’t notice it,” Blue said.

Ink eyed the strings.

“Can I help you…?”

Blue also glanced up to them, before waving a dismissive hand.

“No, no! Error is just visiting!” He replied cheerily. “I was thinking, maybe we should start working out other ways to help with your emotion problem! You know, because your paints aren’t going to cut it,”

Ink shook his head, reaching to touch his vials.

“There is none,” He stated, he had been avoiding taking too much of his paints, he knew his responses might be a bit boring because of that.

Blue gave him a scolding look, before marching straight up to him. Blue snatched a few of the vials, forcing them into Ink’s hands, who fumbled for a moment to hold them.

“You can’t just  _ not  _ take them!” He scolded.

Ink knew not to argue, there was no winning, especially when Ink already forgot most of their conversation.

He took some paint from each of his vials, feeling their effects slowly take over.

  
  


That was a month ago.

Or maybe two?

Ink couldn’t remember, and time was hard to manage as it was.

He gave the worlds a determined look.

He would figure this out. He would.

Right?


	3. Chapter 3

Ink mimicked others, this was not new information. It was how he picked up habits such as his exaggerated movements or facial expressions. It was important to mimic body language as much as it was emotion.

It builds character.

While he couldn’t actually entirely understand others emotions, he could to a degree. As much as one could understand a character through watching them and knowing their story.

He was essentially a copycat, not that it was his fault. It was the closest he could get to being normal.

He looked around, searching for what he wanted and had yet to forget.

He was still in his Doodlesphere, yes, but he had a guest he was looking for… and he spotted said guest about where you would expect.

He could see Dream watching some of the AU’s residents from a distance, he looked a bit melancholy from where Ink was standing.

He approached him silently, knowing the guardian couldn’t sense him.  
“Hey,”

Dream immediately whipped around, startled. After a moment he realised it was Ink, not a threat. Not that he wasn’t aware of how Ink was like.   


He smiled nervously at Ink.

“Hello, Ink - um can I help you with something?” He asked watching Ink get closer.   
  


Ink gave a small sigh, then grinned, snapping his attention back. He was glad he wasn’t immune to Dream’s aura.

“Good question - I’ll let ya know if I remember,” He said cheerily sitting in the grass, he tugged Dream down to join him. Not that he expected Dream to leave - but just in case.

Dream gave him another uneasy look.

Uh oh.

Maybe he had caught on.

“Oh!” Ink snapped his fingers. “I think I got it - I wanted to ask you your opinion about my paints,” Ink tried distracting the other.

Dream frowned.

“Your… paints? I don’t think I quite understand,”

“Well, what do you think about them? Just in general,”

Dream thought this was odder than their usual conversations.

“Well… I don’t exactly like that you have to rely on them - but I can understand your situation requires it. If there was another solution I think that could potentially be better. I also don’t like that you need to rely on Creators so much just to feel…” He may have had more to say, but trailed off.

“That’s what I thought,” Ink said, nodding.

Dream hadn’t failed to notice Ink had gotten closer again.

“Was that… all?” Dream asked politely, leaning away a bit. Ink was practically vibrating by now. “No notes?”

Ink blinked. Then looked his scarf over.

“Oh. Yes! Actually, I had discussed with someone the possibility of myself getting a soul…” Ink hadn’t stopped smiling, feeling quite content.

Dream on the other hand, seemed even more concerned.

“How would you -” He stopped. “What do you plan to do to accomplish that?”

Ink looked at him again, as he had gotten distracted.

“Huh? Oh - it would be a last resort.”

That didn’t answer Dream’s question… 

They stayed there for a while, Ink had begun rambling about random things, which relieved Dream. He preferred Ink rambling, it was more what he was used to. Occasionally he would chime in, and Ink would get excited about something all over again.

It was nice, at least.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure how I feel about this chapter haha


	4. Chapter 4

Where was he?

…

Oh. Right.

He was looking for Error.

…  
  
Why was he looking for Error again?

He picked up part of his scarf, looking for new notes.

Right. He wanted to ask him about the Creators, and where better to check but if he was fighting with Nightmare.

This couldn’t go wrong at all.

He reformed himself where he wanted, nearly throwing up when he did. He didn’t think he would ever get used to being hit in the face with Nightmare’s aura.

“What are you doing?!”

Ink felt himself being picked up, he came face-to-face with Nightmare upside down.

He blinked.

“Whoops,” Was all he offered as a response.

He was promptly dropped when the sound of a blaster was heard.  
  
“Stop that!” A glitched voice shouted in frustration.

Ink perked up, looking for the source, which was not too far away.

Error was balancing on his strings, two blasters behind him as he stayed high above the ground. His glare never stayed on Ink, searching for his actual target.

Ink scrambled to stand up, using Broomy as a booster, he stood on top of it to get closer to Error’s height.  
“Heya, Error!” Ink chimed as Error set off another blast.

“What do you want?” Error growled, not even looking at him.

“Oh, well-” He glanced to his scarf. “-Iiii wanted to ask you if you could talk with the Creators-” More attacks got thrown, which caused Ink to duck - then to jump down when one of Nightmare’s tentacles knocked his brush off balance.   


He huffed a bit, looking towards Nightmare.

“Rude,”

Nightmare only gave him a look, before moving away from more of Error’s attacks. Clearly Error wasn’t in a good mood.  
  
Ink scratched the back of his head as he looked back up at Error.  
“Well…?”  
  


Error was on the ground in a second. With a scowl he opened a portal, stomping his foot impatiently.

“Go if you’re going!” He snapped.

Ink happily walked through the portal.

…

He had forgotten where they were probably going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'know, I wonder if Ink would have an actual breakdown if Nightmare's aura was really effective


	5. Chapter 5

The panic hadn’t fully set until they actually entered the Anti-Void.

Error carefully stepped around Ink, before uncaringly went to flop down on his beanbag. 

Ink needed a distraction.

“Well- Error! Are you going to…” He glanced to his scarf again. “Help me get in touch with the Creators?”

He was hopeful, but Error could be unpredictable.

Error huffed irritably, casting a look at Ink.

“How exactly would you expect me to help with that?”

“Well… you talk to them don’t you?” 

Just that idea alone always made Ink excited. Being able to talk to Creators - he wished he could. Communicating directly with them would be amazingly advantageous to him.

“Hey!” Error snapped him out of his thoughts. “Don’t throw up in my Anti-Void -”

Ink blinked.   
“Ah- sorry,” He said sheepishly.

Error glared at him for another moment, then grumbled and opened a viewing portal.

“Ask away, I’m sure they’re eager,”

Ink was already grinning, bouncing between his two feet.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it's short, haha  
> Unclear what I'm doing currently


	6. Chapter 6

Well, Error was certainly correct.

Ink couldn’t remember half of what Error transcribed from the Creators by this point. Even then Error refused to tell Ink some of what they said, even shouting out loud to tell some of them to shut up.

Ink tried to get anything useful from the conversation anyway, staying longer than Error had probably hoped.

...He also wanted to pretend his surroundings weren’t there, which they kind of weren’t.

“How would they say the community is doing?” He asked, checking his questions list. He had had Dream go over it with him.

Error went through a series of expressions, before smirking a bit.

“They say it’s been slow because of something going on. Heh, makes my job easier,”

Ink gave him a look for a moment, before taking down a note.

“Like what? What’s going on? Have they been supporting other Creators? That may be helpful,” Ink tried.

Error groaned.

“This is giving me a headache,” He grumbled, then paused, seemingly listening to something. “Just a bunch of muddled talking, no clue.”

Ink gave a disappointed huff, then stood up.

He realized a little late that he might be weirding Error out by constantly staring at him, but he didn’t want to acknowledge the blank canvas around them.

“Well, thanks anyway. Could you tell me if they say anything… odd? Interesting?”

Error stared him down for a moment, then sighed.

“Maybe,”

Ink grinned.   
“Thanks, pal!”

Error blinked as Ink disappeared through a portal.

Shifting on his bean bag he muttered to no one.

“Don’t ‘pal’ me-”


	7. Chapter 7

Deltarune.

That was an exciting time for Ink.

Eyes had been drawn back to the multiverse, which meant he had been  _ thriving. _

Now though, there were barely any Creators left here. He could tell.

Now, his paints had nearly run out.

He was close to being back to waiting.

Waiting for something that may never come.

…

He didn’t want that again.

He stared at the lines of code he had before him. He had modified it, all he had to do was implement it.

If his paints were at full force, he wouldn’t do something like that.

He was getting more desperate though, running from a past he didn’t even remember.

“Ink?” A voice called, in… concern? Ink couldn’t tell, not right now.

He barely cast a glance at the golden eye-lights staring at him before he did it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating stuff! Been a bit busy, I know it's short, apologies


	8. Chapter 8

It was like being hit with a tsunami.

Ink barely registered that he was crying, his vision blurred as he shook.

He stared at the floating white blur.

It took forever for him to realise he was being called.

“Ink -! Ink?” The voice stopped.

Ink only now registered Dream’s hand on his shoulder. Dream must have crouched to his level, because he had also just processed that he was on the ground now.

He shakily looked away towards Dream, vision still blurred by the tears. Emotions were overwhelming - this was a bad decision. He began spiraling, panicking even more now. He never should have done this. This meant he would be more vulnerable. What would the Creators think? No, the Creators were gone.

Heh.

Guess Error would be getting the quiet he always wanted.

“Ink…” Dream’s soft voice called again. “Come with me,”

Ink felt glued to where he was, staring at Dream.

He felt he wanted to do something, but couldn’t place what.

Then it hit him, it was also a positive emotion amongst all the others.

He hugged Dream.

Dream hugged back, before he pulled away, looking Ink over again. He stood, helping Ink up with him. Ink was still overwhelmed, using Dream as support. Ink could now see he must have thrown up, there was ink spilled on the ground at his feet.

Dream opened a portal silently.

They both went through.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa  
> So sorry this is short and fairly late - I have been trying to get back into the swing of things, thank you for your patience to anyone who stuck around ^^


	9. Chapter 9

Where were they? Oh, right, people were talking.

“-I just don’t know why he -”

“Shh, you don’t want to upset him,”

Ink turned his head slowly towards the noise. He recognised Core Frisk, smiling at him, and Dream, nervously wringing his hands together.

Ink felt an odd feeling bubble up - actually, multiple odd feelings. Those feelings came with thoughts of not belonging. He subconsciously raised a hand over his chest, mustering up what he could to speak. It seems harder than it should be.

“Hey guys… am I interrupting something?” It was meant to sound lighthearted, but even to himself it sounded weak.

“Not at all!” Frisk piped up. “We were just worried about you is all, you passed out pretty quick. You must have been tired,”

“I’ve never seen Ink tired…” Dream added quietly.

Ink gave them both an odd look.

  
He decided to try to keep his smile up.

“Yeah, I’m still tired, heh.” He said, eyeing Dream when he felt a tug.

He knew Dream was performing a Check. A thought occurred, and he decided to also Check himself to see why Dream was fussing.

*INK - ATK ??? DEF ???

*Did what he had to.

Ink frowned at that, then realised, “he”?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like something else is crumbling

**Author's Note:**

> [My tumblr](https://vertigoaza.tumblr.com/)


End file.
